TakebackPhilly.

Street-level conservative media from South Philadelphia. Frank Scales and Ian McGinnis take a camera and a mic to the protests, town halls and press events, and ask the questions nobody else will.

Watch the clips Follow on TikTok

Every Tuesday: Restore America open mic
4 to 7 PM on the north side of City Hall

Frank Scales, wearing a lapel mic, questions protesters outside the Ed Sheeran concert in South Philadelphia — Crashing the Ed Sheeran protest at the Linc

352K followers on TikTok120M+ plays on TikTok9.6M TikTok likes104K on Instagram154K follow Frank on Instagram38.5K on XSeen on Fox NewsSeen on NewsmaxSeen on Blaze TVSeen on 1210 WPHTSeen on Sky NewsSeen on OANSeen on Real America's VoiceSeen on Timcast

The clips

The moments that broke through. More than 120 million plays on TikTok alone, from Philly’s own streets to Baltimore, D.C. and New York.

Grabbed by the neck at Baltimore Pride

A man mocking Charlie Kirk's assassination puts his hands on Frank, on camera.

Baltimore, Jun 14, 2026

An organizer cuts in. A Pride-goer cuts him off.
New York, Jul 9, 2026. 9.6M plays on TikTok.
Called a terrorist. Then she threw the mic.
Washington, D.C., Jun 23, 2026. 4.8M plays on TikTok.
Harassed in D.C. on the Fourth of July
Washington, D.C., Jul 6, 2026. 4.6M plays on TikTok.
Swarmed at the Philly Pride March
Philadelphia, Jun 9, 2026. 4.5M plays on TikTok.
“Anti-fascists” asked to define fascism
New York, Jul 1, 2026. 4.5M plays on TikTok.
Inside the ICE Out protest in Philly
Philadelphia, Jan 31, 2026. 3.1M plays on TikTok.
Pepper-sprayed on the Route 7 bus
Philadelphia, Jan 19, 2026. 1M views on X.
DA Larry Krasner, confronted in the park
Philadelphia, Sep 26, 2025. 525K views on X.

Follow the feed

TikTok is where the clips hit first. X and Instagram carry the fallout.

Follow the founders

Follower counts as of Oct 2026.

Show up

Every Tuesday afternoon the crew holds an open mic on the north side of City Hall. Come meet them and say your piece.

Tue20Oct

Next up

Restore America open mic

Tuesday, October 20, 4 to 7 PM

City Hall, north side

SurgePhilly's weekly community event. Open to the public: come meet the crew, take the mic and say your piece.

Add to Google Calendar Add to Apple or Outlook Get directions

After that

Tue, Oct 27Restore America open mic4 to 7 PM, City Hall, north side
Tue, Nov 3Restore America open mic4 to 7 PM, City Hall, north side (Election Day)
Tue, Nov 10Restore America open mic4 to 7 PM, City Hall, north side
Tue, Nov 17Restore America open mic4 to 7 PM, City Hall, north side

October 2026

Tuesday, October 20

Restore America open mic4 to 7 PM, City Hall, north sideAdd this date to Google Calendar

Never miss one

Subscribe once and every new SurgePhilly event lands in your calendar on its own.

Subscribe in Google Calendar Subscribe in Apple Calendar

Tune in

Most Monday mornings, Frank and Ian join The Dawn Stensland Show on 1210 WPHT, Philadelphia’s talk station. The show runs 10 AM to noon.

Listen to 1210 WPHT live

The crew

Lifelong friends from South Philly, classmates at Roman Catholic High School, and the two names behind SurgePhilly. Viewer-funded and independent, under Surge Media LLC.

Frank Scales, founder, correspondent — Frankie is 23, from South Philadelphia, and the face in front of the camera. He went national in September 2025 after confronting DA Larry Krasner over press access, and now appears regularly on Newsmax and Philly talk radio.

Ian McGinnis, founder, editor — Ian is 21 and runs the edit: reporting, production and everything digital. He cuts the clips that go viral, and works the field and the radio and TV circuit alongside Frank.

Behind the camera

John LaGrossa, videographer — A former long-haul trucker and MMA fighter who joined after Charlie Kirk's assassination. Steady hands in loud rooms.

Ryan Weiss, web engineer — Builds and runs Surge Media's platform. Programmer and drummer since age 12.

Truth.
Faith.
Action.

On the record

From two guys with a phone to a seat on national TV in about a year.

Frank Scales points at the camera, holding a SurgePhilly microphone

Frank Scales on the set of Fox and Friends Weekend — On set at Fox & Friends Weekend

Jul 2025
Two friends from South Philly start filming
Frank and Ian, classmates since Roman Catholic High School, launch SurgePhilly.
Sep 2025
Krasner, on camera
Frank presses DA Larry Krasner at a town hall, then in a park. Krasner's “fascist” remarks go national on Fox News and the New York Post.
Oct 2025
Inside No Kings
Street interviews at Philadelphia's No Kings protest draw more than a million plays.
Jan 2026
Pepper-sprayed on a SEPTA bus
Frank is attacked while filming on the Route 7 bus. The woman who sprayed him is charged.
Jul 2026
One year, and going national
Coverage from Washington and New York for America's 250th, and a growing seat on Newsmax and 1210 WPHT.
Sep 2026
The Ed Sheeran protest
Frank walks into the protest outside Lincoln Financial Field and documents what happens next.
Oct 2026
An open mic at City Hall
Every Tuesday afternoon, the Restore America open mic on the north side of City Hall.